EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Thierry Breton Member of the Commission

To the attention of MEPs:

Tiziana BEGHIN, MEP NI; , MEP NI; , MEP NI; , MEP NI; , MEP NI; Maria CARVALHO, MEP EPP; Stelios KYMPOUROPOULOS, MEP EPP; , MEP EPP; Attila ARA-KOVACS, MEP S&D; , MEP S&D; Nicolas GONZALES CASARES, MEP S&D; , MEP ECR; , MEP ECR; François ALFONSI, MEP Greens

BrusselsD . 1 0. 07.2020 grow.dgdir(2020)3477455

Dear Members of Parliament,

Many thanks for your letter of 28 April concerning nautical products in the Single Market during COVID-19 and for informing me about the restrictions imposed by several Member States on the delivery of new recreational boats to final customers.

National restrictions, temporary internal border controls and non-essential travel restrictions during the COVID-19 crisis have severely affected the functioning of the Single Market for goods and services. The Commission is working hand in hand with Member States to limit the impacts and to restore the functioning of the Single Market as soon as feasible. At the behest of the Commission, many Member States have lifted national restrictions on exports of key products to fight the pandemic, such as personal protective equipment, masks, ventilators and medicines. Following the Commission’s Guidelines on Border Management mentioned in your letter, and its Communication on the implementation of the Green Lanes, Member States have designated all the relevant internal border-crossing points on the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) as ‘green lane' border crossings where all checks should not take more than 15 minutes. This has considerably improved the free movement of freight across the EU during the pandemic.

Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGiË - Tel. +32 22991111 Office: BERL 10/222 - Tel. direct line +32 229-90200 Thierry. [email protected] Despite these concerted efforts, potentially unjustified and unnecessary restrictions in some countries may still remain. I am therefore grateful that you draw my attention to the situation in the nautical sector. In order to enable my services to liaise with the national authorities concerned and take further measures as appropriate, I would invite you to inform them to which Member States and national measures you are referring in your letter (contact: Michael König, [email protected], GROW E.4).

Yours faithfully,

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